Metal tape



June 18, 1963 J. A. PETNEL 3,093,886

. METAL TAPE Filed Feb. 14, 1957 INVENTOR JosEPH A. PETNEL.

United States Patent 3,093,886 METAL TAPE Joseph A. Petnel, 598 3rd Ave, Troy, NY. Filed Feb. 14, 1957, filer. No. 64d,2% 1 Claim. (Cl. 29-455) The present invention relates to improvements in tape and more particularly to a tape made of pliable metal, such as aluminum, and rnethods of utilizing the tape. With the increasing use of aluminum in a wide variety of applications, my aluminum metal tape provides ideal means for utilization with other aluminum applications where galvanic action is to be avoided.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved rnetal tape wherein the metal selected therefor has the characteristic of being pliable without easily rupturing.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved metal tape for use in reinforcing and construction work wherein the metal selected for the tape is of predetermined thickness so as to have the desired physical characteristics of being manually pliable without easily rupturing.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved thin metal tape which can be sold in rolls so that the user can cut off a section for the particular use to which it is to be put and then form the metal tape into the desired reinforcing element or support, after which it can be secured in place by the use of nails, heat, screws, or the like.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved metal tape for use in reinforcing and construction Work wherein the tape has a thin plastic coating thereon, the characteristics of which are such that the plastic is flexible so as to bend with the metal when being formed to a desired shape. With such plastic, the tape can be pressed against the work being joined and the plastic acts as a binder.

In its preferred embodiment the metal tape of the present invention is made of aluminum. Aluminum has substantial strength compared with other metals, pound for pound, while additionally having the pliability necessary for forming when a predetermined thickness. Aluminum resists corrosion although a coating of oxidation does form on bright aluminum after exposure. Aluminum will when used in combination other metals, notably copper, produce a galvanic action, which of course is objectionable. Thus, aluminum metal tape is preferably used in combination with aluminum items or nonmetallic items.

When it is desired to use my aluminum metal tape in combination with other metals which can produce a galvanic action, I modify my tape with the application of a thin plastic coating, preferably fiexibile with the metal, as above pointed out. Many plastics are today available which fulfill the requirement. In some instances, a thin layer of rubber or rubber-like non-conductive material may be inserted between the aluminum metal tape and any item of metal other than aluminum which might produce serious galvanic action, to prevent such action.

Of course, I can apply the thin plastic coating on one side of the tape or on both sides of the tape.

In some instances, friction tape, plastic tape or other tape, can adhesively be bonded to my metal tape for various applications.

Where it is desired to prevent the formation of the dulling oxidation coating, my invention contemplates the use of the thin plastic coating. Preferably a transparent plastic or a plastic transparent in thin sections is used.

I have found that my metal tape made of aluminum of a cross-section .75 x .017" has a breaking point of 175# (without rupturing).

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Various other objects and advantages will become apparent from the detailed description to follow.

in the drawings:

FIGURE 1 shows a roll of my improved metal tape with a portion thereof formed into various shapes such as are possible with the instant tape;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a corner portion of a window screen frame or the like showing an application of a tape section thereto to provide reinforcement thereof;

FIGURE 3 shows another use of my improved tape in connection with the support of pipe;

FIGURE 4 shows still another application of my metal tape utilized .to provide outside corner bracing of the frame;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view showing an insulated pipe portion with the insulation being held in place by the use of a section of my improved tape;

FIGURE 6 shows one manner in which a picture hanger can be formed from my improved tape; and

FIGURE 7 shows the manner in which my improved tape can be used for bracing inside corners.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals apply to like parts throughout, it will be seen in FIGURE 1 that I have provided a metal tape roll 10 which is comprised of a thin strip of a preselected metal having the characteristic of being pliable without easily rupturing. The tape ill can be formed from aluminum or other similar materials, although I prefer aluminum because of its attributes. I have discovered that to be useful for the intended purposes, the aluminum strip must be substantially in the range of from .00023 to .249 inch in thickness so as to be pliable under hand pressure without easily fracturing. As shown in FIGURE 1, the tape can easily be formed to various shapes such as the rolls at 11 and 12, the loop or ring 13 and the angle at 2:0.

I shall now describe the various applications of my improved tape. In FIGURE 2, a window screen frame 22 is partially shown. The frame 2.2 has a corner portion formed by the joint of the pair of elements 24 and 26, as is conventional. In order to provide reinforcement of the corner, a section of my tape lid is utilized, as shown at 14-. The section 14 has a first portion 28 secured to one of the elements Ed by means of the nails 15, lengthwise of the element 24-. After securement of the first portion 28 of the section 14, the tape is manually folded over at the desired angular relationship so as to have the second portion 36' of the tape 14 overlying the second element 26, as shown. Additional nails or screws 15 can be utilized to secure the second portion 30 to the frame element 26. Because of the thinness of the section 14, even when folded upon itself, the bulk of the frame is not substantially increased although the strength of the corner joints is materially enhanced.

FIGURE 3 shows a section of my improved tape it at 32., formed into the rolls lit and 12, above described, so as to partially encircle a pair of pipes 34 and 36 which are to be supported on the stud or wall 38. A plurality of nails 15, or the like, are utilized to secure the section 32 to the stud or wall 38.

FIGURE 4 shows how an outside corner reinforcement is made. The pair of elements as and 42 are abutted at M and a section of tape 16 is bent around the outside corner and secured thereto by the nails 15. The thickness of the tape section 16 is exaggerated in FIGURE 4, but it will be understood that the thickness can be in the range above described when utilizing aluminum. For the application shown in FIGURE 4, the tape can be on the thin side of the range above disclosed while providing substantial reinforcement of the corner construction.

FIGURE 5 shows a pipe 46 With conventional insulation 48 encircling the same. conventionally, special rings are provided for holding the insulation &8 on the pipe 46. With my improved tape 10, a section 1.7 can be manually wrapped around the insulation 18 With slight end portions 54 and 52 overlapping each other. A pair of pliers can then be utilized to grip theloverlying end portions 50 and 52, and by rotation of the pair of pliers, the joint is formed as shown at 54%.

In order to form a picture hanger or the like, a section of tape 56 can be manually bent to the relationship there shown and the attachment portion 58 can be secured in place by means of the nail 15. A picture can then be hung utilizing the hook portion 19.

In FIGURE 7, the manner in which my improved tape can be utilized for inside corner reinforcement is shown. The pair of elements 60 and 62 which are to be joined and reinforced are abutted at 6 1. A pair of tape sections 18 are then right angularly bent and secured to the elements 60 and 62 at the corner formed thereby by means of the nails 15. 7

in order to render my tape more useful for the foregoing application, it has no preformed perforations, the nails, screws, and the like being driven therethrough. Moreover, I have found that the thinner sections of tape permit the use of conventional staplers for securement or joinder purposes.

In the manufacture of my tape, wide sheets of aluminum are slit into a plurality of strips formed into a roll of tape. The strips are preferably formed with rounded or beveled edges so as to eliminate burrs or sharpness at the edges of the tape.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that many applications utilizing my improved form of tape will become readily apparent.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms Without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the present embodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, since the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claim rather than by the description preceding it, and all changes that fall within the metes and bounds of the claim or that form its functional as Well as conjointly cooperative equivalents, are therefore intended to be embraced by this claim.

1 claim:

A method of reinforcing angularly connected elements comprising the steps of holding the elements in the desired angular relationship, attaching a first portion of a section of a thin strip of aluminum metal of a thickness in the range of from .00023 to .249 inch so as to have the physical characteristic of being manually pliable Without easily rupturing to one of said elements along a portion of the length thereof, folding said section on itself so as to provide a second portion of said section overlying the other of said elements in the desired angular relationship, and securing said second portion to said other element.

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